Chip package process

ABSTRACT

A chip package process includes the following steps. A supporting structure and a carrier plate are provided. The supporting structure has a plurality of openings. The supporting structure is disposed on the carrier plate. A plurality of chips is disposed on the carrier plate. The chips are respectively located in the openings of the supporting structure. An encapsulated material is formed to cover the supporting structure and the chips. The supporting structure and the chips are located between the encapsulated material and the carrier plate. The encapsulated material is filled between the openings and the chips. The carrier plate is removed. A redistribution structure is disposed on the supporting structure, wherein the redistribution structure is connected to the chips.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority benefits of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/380,960, filed on Aug. 29, 2016, and Taiwan application serial no. 106115540, filed on May 11, 2017. The entirety of each of the above-mentioned patent applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a chip package, and more particularly, to a chip package process.

Description of Related Art

In the semiconductor industry, the production of integrated circuits (IC) can be mainly divided into three phases: IC design, IC process, and IC package. Therefore, a die is made by steps such as wafer manufacture, circuit design, photomask manufacture, and wafer cutting. The die is electrically connected to a carrier such as a lead frame or a dielectric layer via a method such as wire bonding or flip chip bonding, such that the bonding pads of the die can be redistributed in the periphery of the chip or below the active surface of the chip. Next, an encapsulated material covers the die to protect the die.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a chip package process that can increase structural strength and lower production cost of the process.

The invention provides a chip package process including the following steps. A supporting structure and a carrier plate are provided. The supporting structure has a plurality of openings. The supporting structure is disposed on the carrier plate. A plurality of chips is disposed on the carrier plate. The chips are respectively located in the openings of the supporting structure. An encapsulated material is formed to cover the supporting structure and the chips. The supporting structure and the chips are located between the encapsulated material and the carrier plate. The encapsulated material is filled between the openings and the chips. The carrier plate is removed. A redistribution structure is disposed on the supporting structure, wherein the redistribution structure is connected to the chips.

Based on the above, in the chip package process of the invention, since a supporting structure is disposed in the peripheral region of each of the chip packages of the chip package array, warping occurring during the packaging process can be alleviated, and the structural strength of the chip package array can be increased and production cost of the process can be lowered, such that the yield of the chip package is increased. Moreover, the disposition of the supporting structure can also improve the overall structural strength of each of the chip packages.

In order to make the aforementioned features and advantages of the disclosure more comprehensible, embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1A to FIG. 1F are top views of a chip package process according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2A to FIG. 2F are respectively cross-sectional views of the structure of FIG. 1A to FIG. 1F along line A-A′ of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the structures of FIG. 1A and FIG. 2A in complete state.

FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the structures of FIG. 1B and FIG. 2B in complete state.

FIG. 3C is a perspective view of the structures of FIG. 1E and FIG. 2E in complete state.

FIG. 4A is a top view of a chip package of another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of a chip package of another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a chip package of yet another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a chip package of still yet another embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1A, FIG. 2A, and FIG. 3A, the structures of FIG. 1A and FIG. 2A in complete state are shown in FIG. 3A, i.e., the structure of FIG. 3A is partially shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 2A. In the chip package process of the present embodiment, a supporting structure 120 and a carrier plate 110 are provided. The supporting structure 120 is disposed on the carrier plate 110. The supporting stricture 120 has a plurality of openings 122. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the supporting structure 120 is one reticular structure, such as one reticular reinforced supporting member. As a result, the supporting structure having a plurality of openings and the carrier plate can alleviate warping occurring during the packaging process, and the effect is more significant for a fan-out wafer level package (FOWLP) or a fan-out panel level package (FOPLP) having a larger size. Moreover, via the supporting structure 120 having the plurality of openings 122 and the carrier plate 110, the structural strength of the chip package array 50 (shown in FIG. 3C) can be increased and the production cost of the process can be lowered, such that the yield of the chip package 100 (shown in FIG. 1F and FIG. 2F) can be increased.

Referring to FIG. 1B, FIG. 2B, and FIG. 3B, the structures of FIG. 1B and FIG. 2B in complete state are shown in FIG. 3B, i.e., the structure of FIG. 3B is partially shown in FIG. 1B and FIG. 2B. After the above steps, a plurality of chips 130 is disposed on the carrier plate 110, wherein the chips 130 are respectively located in a plurality of openings 122 of the supporting structure 120. In the present embodiment, one chip 130 is disposed in one opening 122, and the invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, a plurality of chips can be disposed in one opening and disposed in the corresponding opening via a stacking method. In the present embodiment, the step of disposing the chips 130 on the carrier plate 110 further includes disposing a plurality of passive elements 140 on the carrier plate 110 that are located between the chips 130 and the supporting structure 120. For instance, one or a plurality of the passive elements 140 can be disposed in each of the openings 122 to meet electrical requirements.

Referring to FIG. 1C and FIG. 2C, after the steps above, an encapsulated material 150, such as molding compound, is formed to cover the supporting structure 120 and the chips 130, wherein the supporting structure 120 and the chips 130 are located between the encapsulated material 150 and the carrier plate 110, and the encapsulated material 150 is filled between the openings 122 and the chips 130. In other words, in this step, the encapsulated material 150 is filled on the supporting structure 120 and completely covers the supporting structure 120 and the chips 130 such that each of the openings 122 in the supporting structure 120 is completely filled with the encapsulated material 150 to fix the supporting structure 120 and the chips 130. Moreover, the encapsulated material 150 also completely covers the passive elements 140.

Referring to FIG. 1D and FIG. 2D, after the steps above, the carrier plate 110 is removed. Since the encapsulated material 150 is completely filled in each of the openings 122, the supporting structure 120 and the chips 130 are fixedly connected to each other via the encapsulated material 150 and do not separate. At this point, the supporting structure 120, the chips 130, the passive elements 140, and the encapsulated material 150 form a first reference plane P1, i.e., the supporting structure 120, the chips 130, the passive elements 140, and the encapsulated material 150 are coplanar.

Referring to FIG. 1E, FIG. 2E, and FIG. 3C, the structures of FIG. 1E and FIG. 2E in complete state are shown in FIG. 3C, i.e., the structure of FIG. 3C is partially shown in FIG. 1E and FIG. 2E. After the steps above, the redistribution structure 160 is disposed on the supporting structure 120 and directly connected to the chips 130, and via the disposition of the redistribution structure 160, the signal originally disposed on the chips 130 is fanned-out outside the projection region of the chips 130 of the redistribution structure 160, such that the flexibility of signal disposition of the chips 130 is increased. Moreover, the conductive layer portion of the redistribution structure 160 can be directly electrically connected to a pad 130 a on the chips 130 without the addition of bumps. In other words, the redistribution structure 160 is disposed on the first reference plane P1 and directly connected to the chips 130. Moreover, a plurality of solder balls 170 can be further disposed on the redistribution structure 160, and the redistribution structure 160 is located between the chips 130 and the solder balls 170. At this point, a chip package array 50 shown in FIG. 3C is completed, and the chip package array 50 contains a plurality of uncut chip packages 100.

Referring to FIG. 1F and FIG. 2F, after the steps above, the chip package array 50 is cut along a plurality of cutting lines L between the plurality of openings 122 to form a single chip package 100 as shown in FIG. 1F and FIG. 2F. In other words, each of the chip packages 100 formed by cutting the supporting structure 120 along the cutting lines L has a portion of the supporting structure 120, and therefore the supporting structure 120 is one annular reinforced supporting member for a single chip package 100 and can increase the overall structural strength of the chip package 100. More specifically, since the annular reinforced supporting member is formed by cutting along the cutting lines L, the reinforced supporting member is exposed at a side 102 of a single chip package 100, and therefore better protection is provided to the peripheral region of the chip package 100. Similarly, the encapsulated material 150 and the redistribution structure 160 are also cut along the cutting lines L such that a portion of the encapsulated material 150 and a portion of the redistribution structure 160 are exposed at the side 102 of a single chip package 100.

Referring further to FIG. 1E, FIG. 2E, and FIG. 3C, specifically, in the present embodiment, the chip package array 50 includes a plurality of chip packages 100, and the chip packages 100 are suitable for array arrangement to form the chip package array 50 as shown in FIG. 3C. Each of the chip packages 100 includes a redistribution structure 160, a supporting structure 120, a chip 130, and an encapsulated material 150. The supporting structure 120 is disposed on the redistribution structure 160 and has an opening 122. The chip 130 is disposed on the redistribution structure 160 and located in the opening 122. The encapsulated material 150 is located between the opening 122 and the chip 130, wherein the encapsulated material 150 is filled between the opening 122 and the chip 130, and the chip 130 and the supporting structure 120 are respectively directly connected to the redistribution structure 160. In other words, the chip packages 100 are formed by cutting the chip package array 50, and therefore the redistribution structure 160, the supporting structure 120, and the encapsulated material 150 are also cut and formed in each of the chip packages 100. Since the supporting structure 120 is disposed in the peripheral region of each of the chip packages 100 of the chip package array 50, warping occurring during the packaging process of the chip package array 50 can be alleviated, and the structural strength of the chip package array 50 can be increased and production cost of the process can be lowered, such that the yield of the chip packages 100 is increased. Moreover, the disposition of the supporting structure 120 can also improve the overall structural strength of each of the chip packages 100.

Referring further to FIG. 1F and FIG. 2F, specifically, in the present embodiment, the chip packages 100 include a redistribution structure 160, a supporting structure 120, a chip 130, and an encapsulated material 150. The supporting structure 120 is disposed on the redistribution structure 160 and has an opening 122. The chip 130 is disposed on the redistribution structure 160 and located in the opening 122. The encapsulated material 150 is located between the opening 122 and the chip 130, wherein the encapsulated material 150 is filled between the opening 122 and the chip 130, and the chip 130 and the supporting structure 120 are respectively directly connected to the redistribution structure 160. In particular, the chip packages 100 are formed by cutting the chip package array 50 (as shown in FIG. 3C), and therefore the redistribution structure 160, the supporting structure 120, and the encapsulated material 150 are also cut and formed in each of the chip packages 100. Since the supporting structure 120 is disposed in the peripheral region of the chip packages 100, the overall structural strength of the chip packages 100 can be improved.

Referring to FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, a chip package 100A of the present embodiment is similar to the chip package 100 of FIG. 1F and FIG. 2F, and the main difference between the two is the disposition of an encapsulated material 150A. Before the step of cutting the chip package array 50, a portion of the encapsulated material 150 is removed to form the encapsulated material 150A to expose the chips 130. Specifically, before the step of FIG. 2F, a portion of the encapsulated material 150 located on the supporting structure 120 and the chips 130 is removed and the encapsulated material 150A located between the supporting structure 120 and the chips 130 is kept. In the present embodiment, a top surface 124 of the supporting structure 120 away from the redistribution structure 160 is coplanar with a first surface 132 of the chips 130 away from the redistribution structure 160, i.e., both are located on a second reference plane P2. As a result, the chips 130 can be exposed outside the chip package 100A to be in contact with a heat conductor such that the chip package 100A has better heat dissipation.

Referring to FIG. 5, a chip package 100B of the present embodiment is similar to the chip package 100 of FIG. 2F, and the main differences between the two are, for instance, the opening 122 of the present embodiment has an inner surface 126, the inner surface 126 has at least one groove 128, and the encapsulated material 150 is completely filled in the groove 128. As a result, the overall structural strength of the chip package 100B can be ensured by completely filling the encapsulated material 150 in the groove 128. Moreover, in another embodiment, a portion of the encapsulated material 150 can be further removed to expose the chips 130 similarly as shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B.

Referring to FIG. 6, a chip package 100C of the present embodiment is similar to the chip package 100 of FIG. 2F, and the main differences between the two are, for instance, the opening 122 of the present embodiment has an inner surface 126C, and the inner surface 126C is inclined in a direction away from the chips 130 such that the encapsulated material 150 is extended above the inner surface 126C. In other words, due to the inclined design of the inner surface 126C, the supporting structure 120 can be covered via the extension of the encapsulated material 150, such that the supporting structure 120 and the redistribution structure 160 are more tightly connected and are not readily fallen off. As a result, the overall structural strength of the chip package 100C can be ensured by covering the inner surface 126C of the encapsulated material 150. Moreover, in another embodiment, a portion of the encapsulated material 150 can be further removed to expose the chips 130 similarly as shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B.

Based on the above, in the chip package process of the invention, since a supporting structure is disposed in the peripheral region of each of the chip packages of the chip package array (at this point, the supporting structure is exposed on a side of a single the chip package), warping occurring during the packaging process can be alleviated, and the structural strength of the chip package array can be increased and production cost of the process can be lowered, such that the yield of the chip package is increased. Moreover, the disposition of the supporting structure can also improve the overall structural strength of each of the chip packages.

Although the invention has been described with reference to the above embodiments, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that modifications to the described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is defined by the attached claims not by the above detailed descriptions. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A chip package process, comprising: providing a supporting structure and a carrier plate, wherein the supporting structure has a plurality of openings, the supporting structure is disposed on the carrier plate, and the supporting structure is a continuous reticular structure; disposing a plurality of chips on the carrier plate, wherein the chips are respectively located in the openings of the supporting structure, each chip has an active surface, and the active surface is directly disposed on the carrier plate; forming an encapsulated material covering the supporting structure and the chips, wherein the supporting structure and the chips are located between the encapsulated material and the carrier plate, and the encapsulated material is filled between the openings and the chips; removing an entire part of the carrier plate; disposing a redistribution structure on the supporting structure, wherein the redistribution structure is connected to the chips, the supporting structure and the redistribution structure are substantially in contact with each other, and the entire supporting structure and the redistribution structure are electrically insulated from each other, wherein the reticular structure includes a single layer with a plurality of rectangular openings, and the chips are respectively located in the plurality of rectangular openings; and removing a portion of the encapsulated material to expose the chips, wherein, after the portion of the encapsulated material is removed, the supporting structure, the chips, and the encapsulated material are coplanar.
 2. The chip package process of claim 1, wherein in the step of removing the carrier plate, the supporting structure, the chips, and the encapsulated material form a common plane.
 3. The chip package process of claim 1, wherein in the step of disposing a redistribution structure on the supporting structure, each of the chips comprises at least one pad, and the redistribution structure is directly connected to the pads.
 4. The chip package process of claim 1, further comprising: cutting the supporting structure and the redistribution structure along a plurality of cutting lines between the openings to form a plurality of chip packages, wherein the supporting structure after cutting comprises a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface, a first side surface connected with a first end of each of the top surface and the bottom surface and a second side surface connected with a second end of each of the top surface and the bottom surface, and a maximum width from the first side surface to the second side surface is greater than a maximum thickness from the top surface to the bottom surface.
 5. The chip package process of claim 4, wherein a portion of the supporting structure is exposed at a side of the corresponding chip package.
 6. The chip package process of claim 1, wherein the supporting structure has at least one inner surface in each of the openings, the at least one inner surface has at least one groove, and the encapsulated material is completely filled in the at least one groove.
 7. The chip package process of claim 1, wherein the supporting structure has at least one inner surface in each of the openings, and the at least one inner surface is inclined in a direction away from the chips such that the encapsulated material is extended above the inner surface, and the at least one inner surface is not vertical to a top surface of the supporting structure away from the redistribution structure.
 8. The chip package process of claim 1, wherein the step of disposing the plurality of chips on the carrier plate comprises: disposing a plurality of passive elements on the carrier plate, wherein the encapsulated material completely covers the passive elements.
 9. The chip package process of claim 4, wherein the supporting structure is one annular supporting member for each of the chip packages.
 10. The chip package process of claim 1, further comprising: removing a portion of the encapsulated material located on the supporting structure and only keeping the encapsulated material located between the supporting structure and the chips.
 11. The chip package process of claim 1, wherein the supporting structure is not located between the chips and the redistribution structure. 